Jig for finishing railway journal box surfaces



Aug. 6, 1957 w MlLLs 2,801,506

JIG FOR FINISHING RA ILWAY JOURNAL BOX SURFACES Filed July 2, 1954 .IBY"

ATTORNEY United States Patent OffiFice 2,801,506 Patented Aug. 6, .1957

JIG FOR FIWISHING RAILWAY JOURNAL BOX SURFACES William A. Mills, Reynoldsburg, Ohio, assignor to The Buckeye Steel Castings Company, Columbus, Ohio Application July 2, 1954, Serial No. 441,127

8 Claims. (Cl. 51-241) The present invention relates to a device for supporting a cutting tool such as an abrading wheel in positions for the removal of metal from portions of a railway journal box and to provide surfaces at the end edges of the walls of the journal box in a common plane and disposed in a proper angular position for full engagement by an inner face of a lid when it is in a position closing the access opening in the journal box.

The journal box for a railway truck is formed in casting operation. It has been the practice in the past to employ a portable power driven grinding wheel in finishing the surfaces of the journal boxes which are adapted to be engaged by the journal box lid when it is in the closed position. It is desirable that the journal box lid bear uniformly on the end edges of the walls which form the front opening in the journal box. The method of abrading these surfaces by manual manipulation of the grinding device provide marked variations in the smoothness and orientation of the end edges of the walls of the journal boxes and the results in all cases depend to a great extent upon the skill of the individual handling the portable grinding equipment.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a jig assembly so constructed and arranged as to support a power driven finishing tool such as an abrasive device in positions where the cutting action of the tool will be so guided and so oriented that the end edges of the walls defining the opening in the journal box. will be accurately finished to lie in a common plane with proper orientation with respect to the hinge lug about which the lid for the journal box swings to a closed positron.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for supporting a grinding wheel in proper positions for finishing the edges of the walls which defines an opening in a railway journal box so that these edges will be in one plane which is parallel to and disposed radially of the axis about which the journal box lid pivots and to maintain such an angular disposition on the end edges of the walls of the journal box regardless of the amount of metal removed from such portions of the casting.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a supporting mechanism for a power driven abrading device which will permit the grinding wheel to be moved to various positions relative to the end walls of the journal box and still provide for the maintenance of the abrading wheel in a proper cutting position and to provide a device which may be used for finishing the lid engaging surfaces of different sizes and types of journal boxes.

Other objects and features of the invention will be appreciated and become apparent to those skilled in the art as the present disclosure proceeds and upon. consideration of the accompanying drawing and the following detailed description wherein a useful embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawing:

Fig.1 is a plan View of a jig assembly exhibiting the invention.

7 of the journal box.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view.

Fig. 3 is an end view of a journal box of the type formed integral with a railway truck side frame.

A close fit between the inner face of a journal box lid and the edges of walls of a journal box is advantageous in order to prevent entrance of moisture and particles such as cinders or the like which adversely effect the bearings of a railway car truck. It is for this purpose that the journal box lid should bear uniformly on the end edges 6 of the walls which form the front access opening The journal box lid (not shown) is adapted to overlie the opening 7 and engage wall edges 6. Thus the edge surfaces 6 should all lie in the same plane and it is also desirable that the edge surfaces 6 be positioned in a proper angular position with respect to the axis about which the journal box lid swings. one type of journal box is represented at 9 formed integral with a side frame 11 for a railway car truck.

. The invention is directed to a device so designed as to support a power driven cutting tool in proper position to properly finish the end surfaces 6 of the walls which form the opening in the journal box. The device includes a member 12 having a generally triangular shaped.

portion 14. The member 12 is of rigid construction and enlarged portions 18 and 21 and between. the inner edges.

of the arms 16 and 17 is such that these portions of the member 12 will span the journal box lid. lug 8.

A pin 24 is provided for extending through the opening 22 and an opening in the lug 8 and through the opening 19 whereby the member 12 is detachab ly mounted for swinging movement about the axis of the pin 24. The member 12 is thus adapted to move in an arcuate path corresponding to that of a journal box lid.

The jig includes a post 27 which extends from the apex portion of. the member 12 preferably at right angles with respect to the plate portion 14. The post 27 has a cylindrical exterior surface and may be welded to the member 12 as indicated at 28. A sleeve 31 having an inner diameter to accommodate the post. 27 is mounted thereon for rotation therearound and for lengthwilse sliding movements on the post 27. A grease fitting 32 may be provided for lubricating the interior surface of the sleeve 31 and the periphery of the post 27 If desired a washer 33 and a cap screw 34 may be provided at the top of the post 27 for preventing movements of the sleeve 31 beyond a free end of the post 27. A band 36 is mounted on the post 27 below the sleeve 31. hand 36 may be adjusted lengthwise of the post 27 and secured in adjusted positions thereon by means ofa thumb screw 37. The band 36 serves as an abutment limiting movement of the sleeve 31 towards the fixed end of the post 27.

A pair of arms 38 and 39 extend laterally from the sleeve 31. In the embodiment illustrated the arms 38 and 39 have cylindrical exterior surfaces and are arranged in parallel relationship. The arms 38 and 39 preferably extend substantially at right angles from the sleeve 31 and may be secured thereto by welding or the like. A tubular member 41 is mounted on the arm 38 and has an internal diameter to fit snugly on the arm 38 but at the same time is adapted to slide lengthwise thereon. A similar tubular member 42 is mounted for sliding movement on the arm 39.

The outer ends of the tubular members 41 and 42 are The.

secured to one part 44 of a hood or guard in any suitable manner so that the guard is rigidly connected to the tubular members 41 and 42. Another part 46 of the guard structure is secured to the first part by means of a clamp 47 which includes bolt and nut assemblies 48. The tubular members 41 and.42.thus support the hood or guard structure. A thumb screw 49 threaded in one of the tubular members is for the purpose of locking the position of the guard in adjusted spaced positions relative to the sleeve 31.

'Any suitable type of portable metal finishing tool may be supported by the jig and the cutting implement may take the form of a rigid abrading wheel 51 driven by a motor 52. The finishing device is secured in fixed relationship with reference to the guard by means of the clamp 47. In the'embodiment diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2 the grinding wheel or disc 51 is driven by the shaft of the motor 52 and an end surface of the wheel 51 is employed to grind the edge surfaces 6.

In carrying out a finishing operation on the edge sur faces of the walls which form the opening 7 in a journal box the wheel 51 is rotated and moved into position adjacent the open end of the journal box 9. The band 36 may be clamped in position on the post 27 so as to provide the proper orientation and depth of grinding on the ends of the walls of the journal box. The arms 38 and 39 and the sleeves 41 and 42 and the finishing equipment carried thereby may be rotated as a unit about the axis of the post 27 and such turning movement is permitted by rotation of the sleeve 31 on the post 27. The cutting device may be bodily moved in an are about the axis of the post 27 and the hood or guard may occupy positions indicated by phantom lines at 56 and 57 in Fig. 1. The cutting device may also be moved towards and away from the post 27 as indicated by the phantom lines 58 and 59. The jig is pivotable about the axis of the pin 24 as indicated in part by the phantom lines of Fig. 2. The abrading or cutting device may thus be moved away from the journal box for inspection purposes. These swinging actions of the jig and the cutting tool may take place with out disturbing any previous adjustments of the parts as they are maintained in position by the thumb screws 37 and 49;

It will be appreciated that the finish provided on the end surfaces 6 of the walls of the journal box 9 will be in a common plane and after the edge surfaces 6 are shaped to have a common plane the orientation thereof will be proper with respect to the axis about which the journal box lid will swing. Accordingly the inner face of the journal box lid will abut all of the end edges 6 and substantially seal the opening 7 against the entrance of cinders or other particles and substantially eliminate the entrance of water or moisture into the journal box.

The jig is useful for finishing the lid engaging surfaces of journal boxes which are not formed integral with the side frame of a railway car truck. The device is equally useful for various types of journal boxes differing from the one shown in Fig. 3. The lug 8 need not be integral with the journal box but may be attached thereto in any suitable manner. Other types of portable grinding devices or metal cutting implements may be employed. Changes may be made in the structural elements as well as the general organization of the device. Such changes and others may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mechanism for removing metal from the ends of walls defining the perimeter of an opening in a railway journal box, power driven means including a rotatable tool having an effective cutting surface in a plane substantially at right angles to its axis of rotation overlying ends of said walls, an arm extending parallel to the plane of said cutting surface of the tool, means slidable on said arm rigidly connected to said power driven means supporting the tool, said journal box having a lid lug thereon with a pivot opening therethrough parallel to the cutting surface of said tool, means supporting said arm for swinging movements about the axis of said pivot opening whereby the tool removes metal from said walls so that end edges thereof lie in a common plane disposed at right angles to a circular are generated about the axis of said pivot opening, and means supporting said arm for swinging movements about an axis disposed at right angles to the axis of said pivot opening.

2. In apparatus for abrading ends of walls defining the perimeter of an opening in a railway journal box, power driven means including a rotatable abrasive wheel having a flat abrading face in a plane substantially at right angles to its axis of rotation overlying ends of said walls, an arm extending parallel to the plane of said abrading face, a member slidable on said arm rigidly connected to said power driven means supporting said tool, a sleeve rigidly supporting said arm, a post extending within said sleeve on which the sleeve rotates and slides, said journal box having a lid lug thereon with a pivot opening therethrough substantially parallel to said abrading face, and means supporting said post for swinging movement about the axis of said pivot opening whereby the face of the abrasive wheel finishes said walls with end edges thereof in a common plane substantially at right angles to an are generated about the axis of the pivot opening.

3. In apparatus for finishing wall surfaces at the perimeter of an opening in a railway journal box to lie in a common plane substantially at right angles to an arc of movement of a hinged lid for the journal box, power driven means including a rotatable tool having an effective attrition surface in a plane substantiallyat right angles to its axis of rotation, a lid lug on said journal box having an opening therethrough with its axis substantially parallel to the attrition surface of said tool, a member hinged to said lug to turn about the axis of the opening therein, a post rigid with said member extending therefrom, a sleeve slidable on and rotatable about said post, an arm rigid with the sleeve extending laterally therefrom, and means slidable on said arm supporting the power driven means.

4. In apparatus for finishing lid engaging surfaces of a railway journal box having a lug thereon with a lid pivot opening therethrough substantially parallel to a plane desired for the lid engaging surfaces, a member having an opening therein, a removable pin extending through said lid pivot opening and through the opening in said member supporting it for swinging movements about the axis of the lid pivot opening about which a lid for the journal box would normally swing, a post rigid with said member and extending therefrom, means slidable on and rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said post, an arm rigid with said means and extending laterally therefrom, a cutting tool for engaging and finishing said lid engaging surfaces,

and means supporting said cutting tool mounted for sliding movements on said arm.

5. In apparatus for finishing lid engaging surfaces of a railway journal box having a lug thereon with a lid pivot opening therethrough substantially parallel to a plane desired for the surfaces to be engaged by the lid, a member having spaced portions spanning ends of said lug, said portions having aligned openings therein, a removable pin extending through said aligned openings and through said lid pivot opening supporting said member for swinging movements about the axis of the lid pivot opening, a post carried by said member rigid with respect thereto and extending therefrom, means slidable on and rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said post, arms rigid with respect to said means and extending laterally therefrom, a cutting tool for engaging and finishing the lid engaging surfaces of said journal box, and means supporting said cutting tool mounted for sliding movements on said arms.

6. In apparatus for finishing wall surfaces at the perimeter of an opening in a railway journal box to lie in a common plane oriented at right angles to an arc of swinging movement of a lid for the journal box having a lug thereon with an opening therethrough substantially parallel to desired finished surfaces for said walls, a member having portions spanning the length of said lug, said portions having aligned openings therethrough, a removable pin extending through the aligned openings and through the opening in said lug supporting said member for swinging movements about the axis of said pin, a post rigid with said member and extending therefrom, a sleeve mounted on the post for sliding movements thereon and rotatable about the axis of said post, an arm rigid with said sleeve and extending laterally therefrom, a power driven rotatable abrading wheel, means slidable on said arm supporting and guiding said wheel during engagement with said walls, and an adjustable abutment on the post limiting movement of the sleeve towards said member.

7. In apparatus for abrading end edges of walls defining the perimeter of an opening in a railway journal box to a common plane oriented at right angles to the arc of swinging movement of a hinged lid for closing the opening in the journal box, a lug on the journal box having an opening therethrough substantially parallel to desired finished end edges of said walls, a member having portions thereon spanning said lug and in abutting relationship with opposite ends of the lug, said portions having aligned openings therethrough, a removable pin extending through said aligned openings and through the opening in said lug supporting said member for swinging movements about the axis of the opening in the lug, a post rigid with said member and extending therefrom, a sleeve mounted on the post for sliding movements thereon and rotatable about the axis of said post, an arm rigid with said sleeve and extending laterally therefrom, a power driven abrasive wheel for engaging and abrading said end edges of the walls, and means supporting said abrasive wheel on said arm.

8. In a mechanism for removing metal from the ends of walls defining the perimeter of an opening in a railroad journal box, a rotatable tool having an effective cutting surface overlying ends of said walls, a lug on said journal box having an opening therein with its axis substantially parallel to said cutting surface, a member detachably hinged to said lug to turn about the axis of the opening therein, elongated means rigid with said member extending therefrom, means supported on said elongated means movable linearly thereof and rotatable about the axis thereof, and means supporting said tool on the last mentioned means for linear movement with respect thereto whereby said tool removes metal from said walls so that in the edges thereof lie in a common plane disposed at right angles to an are generated about the axis of the opening in said lug.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 306,772 Pratt et al. Oct. 21, 1884 692,425 Cavicchi Feb. 4, 1902 935,291 Boenig Sept. 28, 1909 971,697 Smith Oct. 4, 1910 1,463,303 Adair et a1. July 31, 1923 1,692,997 Roberts Nov. 27, 1928 1,784,972 Newbrough Dec. 16, 1930 1,798,224 Rinau Mar. 31, 1931 1,854,558 Olmstead Apr. 19, 1932 2,456,827 Greeley Dec. 21, 1948 2,593,075 Vale et al. Apr. 15, 1952 

